The Black History Book

By: DK

Narrated by: Dede Davi

An accessible guide to the key milestones in Black history, culture, and society across the globe - from the ancient world to the present

Discover the rich and complex history of the peoples of Africa, and the struggles and triumphs of Black cultures and communities around the world.

With profiles of key people, movements, and events, The Black History Book brings together accounts of the most significant ideas and milestones in Black history and culture. This vital and thought-provoking audiobook presents a bold and accessible overview of the history of the African continent and its peoples - from the earliest human migrations to modern Black communities and the African diaspora.

The Black History Book brings to life the stories of the early kingdoms of Ancient Egypt, Nubia, and Carthage; the powerful empires of the Medieval and Early Modern eras; and the struggle against European colonizers. Black history and culture beyond the African continent is also explored in detail - including the Atlantic Slave Trade; the quilombos (slave resistance camps) of Brazil; the Harlem Renaissance and Jazz Age; the "Windrush" migration; Civil Rights and Black feminist movements; and Black Lives Matter.

The Black History Book examines the achievements and struggles of Black communities across the world up to the modern day, as well as the influence of Black cultures on art, literature, and music the world over.

Contributor: David Olusoga is a British-Nigerian historian, broadcaster, and filmmaker. His most recent TV series include Empire (BBC 2), Black and British: A Forgotten History (BBC 2), and the BAFTA Award-winning Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners (BBC 2). David is also the author of Black and British: A Forgotten History, which was awarded both the Longman-History Today Trustees' Award and the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize. He writes for The Guardian and is a columnist for The Observer and BBC History Magazine.

Critic reviews

"Readers of all levels will enjoy the aesthetics, content, and presentation of this encyclopedia that so aptly captures the rich history of Black culture.” –Library Journal, STARRED Review

I loved it!

This was a great time overview of black history that goes beyond slavery in the US and the civi rights movement. I learned a lot that I’ll be sure to teach my kids.

Not a great format for audiobooks

Before buying, I advise checking out the preview of the kindle version on Amazon to see how the book is formatted. The actual content is great, but the way the book is formatted makes the audiobook feel like someone is reading a timeline out of a textbook. The narration is extremely clean, but also very flat, and the end result is that it comes off very sterile. Between the two factors, I've had to DNF the audiobook because it's just a slog to listen to, and I'll be getting the ebook instead.

It goes as far back as historical records allow to the present.

It’s a great companion book to African American history for dummies. It’s overall a really good book.